Triumphal Entry

March Slice of Life No. 25.

Today, in the comments, Kay McGriff shared a link to Malcom Guite’s, book of sonnets, Sounding the Seasons(2012). I was not familiar with the man or his writings. Intrigued, I searched and read. I searched some more and read and listened.

“We come now, with Palm Sunday, to the beginning of Holy Week and in the sonnets that follow I have explored the truth that what was happening ‘out there’ and ‘back then’ as Christ entered Jerusalem is also happening ‘in here’ and ‘right now’. There is a Jerusalem of the heart. Our inner life also has its temple and palaces, its places of corruption, its gardens of rest, its seat of judgement.”

Guite’s sonnet “Palm Sunday” speaks not of the day when Jesus rode a colt into Jerusalem amidst shouts of Hosanna but rather of this day, this moment. It speaks of the holy dwelling place in the heart of man. It asks a question. It offers an invitation.

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.

And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

–Matthew 21:1-11

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Old Testament prophecy fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. –Zechariah 9:9

Thank you for helping to prepare my heart for Palm Sunday service this morning. Your lines, “It speaks of the holy dwelling place in the heart of man. It asks a question. It offers an invitation.” set the stage for the rest of Holy Week. Happy Palm Sunday.

I think of “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16. Happy Palm Sunday, Alice – thank you for sharing the beautiful selections and your heart.